What if Crossroad Blues
by Katy M VT
Summary: What if the demon had offered Dean a different deal? Spoilers for Swan Song. Chapter 4 of 4 up.
1. Let's Make a Deal

What if the demon made Dean a different offer?

Dean pulled up to the crossroads and drew a devil's trap on the ground. He then pulled the car up over and went back to the trunk to pull out what he would need to summon the demon. He was going to do whatever it took to save Evan Hudson's soul, because in a way that would be like saving his dad's soul. He shook his head clear. He couldn't be thinking about his dad when the demon appeared.

He buried the box of stuff and turned around looking for the demon. He turned around in a complete circle. There was nobody there. He was wondering if he did it right, when he heard a voice say, "Come here often?"

He turned around and looked. Was this the demon, or just some girl?

In answer to his question, her eyes turned red and she said, "You called me?"

"I'm just glad it worked," Dean answered.

"Your first time?"

"You could say that," Dean hedged.

"Don't be so modest. I know all about you, Dean Winchester. What can I do for you?"

"Why don't we talk in my car? Nice and private," Dean said, trying not to seem nervous. He didn't want to give away his plan.

"Sure, sounds good," the demon said and followed him to the car.

Dean reached down to open the door for her. "Such a gentleman," she gushed. Then she looked down and saw the devil's trap sticking out from under the car. "You've got to be kidding me," she hissed.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS

Sam was spreading the goofa dust in a circle around the study floor. "What is that stuff?" Evan asked him.

"Goofa dust."

"Goofa dust?" Evan repeated, incredulous.

"Yeah, just get in the circle," Sam said.

Evan did so and they heard barking coming through the grate as it shook with the force of a large animal.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

The demon started walking away from Dean, then turned to him. "What did you want anyway?"

"Evan Hudson's soul," Dean admitted.

"I kind of liked him," the demon said, but I can't release his soul unless a deal is made.

"I'm not going to sell my soul for his soul," Dean said. He wanted to help the guy, but he wasn't willing to go that far.

"The deal doesn't have to be for a soul," the demon responded.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Evan and Sam stared at the grate as it was shaken with force and wind was blowing around the room. The grate completely blew off of its place and the circle of goofa dust was broken at the same time. "Come on, we're not safe here," Sam yelled.

He and Evan ran out of the room. Sam slammed the door behind him, but knew that would only slow the hound down a few minutes.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"What else would you possibly want?" Dean asked.

"It's not a matter of wanting," the demon said, starting her own con. "The rule just states a deal has to be made and it has to be something important to the buyer."

"Like what?" Dean asked, skeptical. He didn't have a lot that was important to him, and he sure wasn't going to sell Sam.


	2. Singer Salvage

"How about your car?" the demon asked, trying not to seem too anxious. Every demon knew that they were to try to get that car no matter what the cost. They could even offer John back, but if she could get it for less, she'd probably get a reward.

"Why would you want my car?" Dean asked.

"What did I just tell you?"

"You're not just giving away freebies," Dean said. "There's got to be something in it for you."

The demon thought fast. "OK, I admit it. I don't think you'll be much of a hunter without your car and your weapon stash. But is that really worth a man's life, his soul?" she asked.

Dean hesitated. That car meant more than anything to him, besides Sam. But the demon was right. The car was just a thing. Evan Hudson was a man who made a mistake in order to save his wife. He could relate.

"Alright," Dean agreed.

The demon pulled him into a kiss.

"What was that for?" Dean asked, disgusted. Demon germs, eww.

"That's how we seal a deal," the demon said.

"Yeah, well, I liked to be warned before I'm molested by Hell Rats."

"Say, goodbye to your baby," the demon smirked, and as Dean watched a hole opened up in the ground and sucked in his car. He turned back to look at the demon, but she was gone. He started walking back to Evan's place. This is going to get real old, real fast, he thought.

SSSSSSSSSSSS

Sam and Evan were holding the door to his bedroom closed against the hell hound's onslaught when it suddenly stopped.

"Is it over?" Evan asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Sam said. "Let's just give it a couple of minutes."

They waited a few minutes and then ventured out into the rest of the house. The place was a mess. Overturned furniture, claw marks, broken everything. "Karen's going to be mad," Evan commented.

"If she knew the truth, she'd just be grateful that you're still around," Sam said softly. He pulled out his cell phone to call Dean.

"Hey," Dean answered his phone.

"It worked. Did you trap her and exorcise her?"

"Not exactly," Dean answered.

"What does that mean?" Sam said. He was worried that Dean had sold his soul to save Evan. It sounded like something stupid his brother would do.

"I'll explain when I get there," Dean said. "I have to go," he added as he saw a car sitting to the side of the road that looked just right for stealing. He pulled up to Evan's house a few minutes later.

"What's that?" Sam asked as he came out to meet him.

"This is a car," Dean answered. "And you're supposed to be the smart one."

"I know it's a car. Where's the Impala?"

"I sold it."

"You sold it? For what?" Sam couldn't imagine what would be important enough for Dean to sell his baby. Sometimes Sam thought Dean loved that car more than him.

"For Evan's soul."

Sam was confused. "You made a deal for Evan's soul and all they wanted was the car?"

"What do you mean all?"

"Yeah, I know it means the world to us. It's our home. But what would a demon want with it?"

"She said we wouldn't be very good at hunting without our car and weapons," Dean explained.

"Well, she may have a point," Sam conceded. "What are we going to do? I assume this is a stolen car, we can't keep it too long."

"I called Bobby on the way over. He's going to hook us up. We just have to get up there."

"OK, well we'll drive this one for a couple of states and then change up a few times on the way there."

"That was my plan."

"What about weapons?" Sam asked.

"We'll go to the Roadhouse and I'll play some poker and see if I can't win us some weapons from other hunters."

"That's a good idea," Sam agreed.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

One week later

"Hey, boys," Bobby greeted them as they walked up to his yard. They had ditched their latest stolen car a couple of miles away, so as not to bring suspicion onto Bobby.

"Hey, Bobby," they both said simultaneously.

"Seems like you boys only come around when you want something," Bobby said gruffly.

Sam looked down and fidgeted with his foot, and Dean just said, "Yes, sir."

Bobby laughed and said, well you probably won't like it, but all I've got to give you is a '94 Pontiac Sunbird."

"Are you serious?" Dean said. He didn't know what he had been expecting, but that was so not a badass car.

"Beggars can't be choosers, son," Bobby said, trying to hide a smile. He didn't even know how Sam was going to fit in the thing.

"Here it is," Bobby said, leading them over to it.

"Red?" Dean yelled again in a new outrage. "That's a girl color."

"Well, girl owned it last," Bobby admitted.

"Come on, Bobby," Dean whined.

"I'm sorry, Dean, that's all I can let you have. I'm running a business here and I've got bills to pay."

"Sorry Bobby," Sam said shooting his brother a look. "We don't mean to be ungrateful. It's very good of you to give us any car. You certainly didn't have to."

"Yeah, sorry," Dean chimed in. He realized Sam was right. He was just sad at the loss of his car.

The next day they went to the Roadhouse and Dean won enough off the other hunters to start hunting again. It was weird in their new car, though. They definitely wouldn't be able to sleep in it. The front had bucket seats!

(A/N: Just so everybody knows, the car that Bobby gave Sam and Dean was my first car. I wanted them to have something of mine, since I keep stealing their lives.)


	3. Road to Detroit

3 and a half years later

Sam and Dean were in their car, which they never had gotten used to. Bobby and Cas were following behind them in Bobby's truck. Dean couldn't believe this monumentally stupid idea. How could he let Sam say yes to Lucifer? Yes, he had made a big speech about not letting Sam do anything, because Sam was an adult and made his own choices, but in the end, he knew that if he said no, Sam wouldn't do it.

"So, Dean," Sam began cutting off Dean's thoughts.

"Yeah, Sammy?" Dean answered, wondering if that would be the last time he got to call his brother that.

"You know that if this goes the way we plan and I get Lucifer into that hole, I'm not coming back."

"Yeah, I know that," Dean answered softly.

"I need you to promise me something and then I have a favor to ask."

"Anything," Dean agreed immediately. He would do anything he could for his brother. He was sacrificing his life for the world. Of course, he intended to find a way to bring him back, but it wouldn't be immediate and Sam would suffer a lot in the meantime.

"First, you can't do anything to try to bring me back," Sam said.

"What?" Dean practically yelled. "I didn't sign on for that," he protested.

"You can't go poking that cage once Lucifer's in it. It's too dangerous. If you do that, you'll have made my sacrifice worth nothing," Sam informed him.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Go find Lisa and be a family. Have the life I always wanted and couldn't have. Maybe have a little girl and name her Jessica."

"Sam," Dean started.

"Dean, I mean it. You have to promise me. Please. I can't do this if I think you're going to go poking at it. Please."

"OK," Dean reluctantly agreed. "I promise."

They were silent for a moment.

"What's the other favor? I'm afraid to know what it is after you started with that."

Sam smiled. "This one is optional, but it would mean a lot to me," Sam started shyly. He was going to be hurt if Dean said no, but he had to ask.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"Would you wear this again?" Sam said, pulling Dean's old amulet out of his pocket.

"Where did you get that?" Dean asked.

"I pulled it out of the wastebasket when were leaving that motel. I was hoping you would want it back someday, but I didn't want to push. It's kind of now or never, though, at this point."

"Sam, I regretted throwing that amulet away, about two days after I did it."

"Really?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Sam, of course, really." Dean took the amulet and pulled in on over his head one handed as he continued to drive towards Sam's destiny.

SSSSSSSSSSSS

They met up with Bobby and Cas in an alley in the middle of downtown. "Lucifer is in there," Castiel said, pointing at the building across the street.

"How do you know?" Dean asked.

"Well, most of my angel powers are gone, but I can still feel other angels. Of course that means he can feel me, too. We should hurry."

Sam said his goodbyes to Bobby and Cas and downed eight gallons of demon blood. That was the most he had ever drank in one sitting. It was intoxicating. He had never felt so powerful. "Let's go," he said walking past Bobby and Cas and just barely glancing to make sure Dean was coming with him.

Dean shot a worried look at Bobby, but followed his brother. He wasn't going to let Sam do this alone. Besides he had the key.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Hello boys," Lucifer said as Sam and Dean were dragged into the room by demons. "This is a tad bit suicidal don't you think?"

"We didn't come here to fight you," Sam said.

"Then why did you come?" Lucifer asked, already knowing the answer.

"I want to say yes," Sam replied.

"Yes, I know. You want to say yes because you have the Horseman's rings and you think you can force me into the cage."

"What are you talking about?" Sam tried to bluff very unsuccessfully.

"Don't lie to me Sam. Come on, let's have a wrestling match inside your head."

"Sammy, no!" Dean said firmly. The fact that Lucifer knew what they were doing and was OK with it seemed to prove the point that it wouldn't work.

"This doesn't change anything Dean. So what if he knows. It's still our only chance." He paused, took a deep breath and said "Yes."

The room shook and filled with light as Lucifer left his now dead vessel and entered Sam. Dean grabbed the rings, threw them into the wall and said the incantation that would open the cage. He momentarily wondered why the demons just hadn't do this to get him out. Seems easier than breaking a lot of seals.

He heard Sam moan and he went to help him up. This was the last thing he wanted to do, but they had passed the point of no return. "Come on, Sam. You have to go. NOW!"

Sam started toward the gaping hole and then turned back and smiled a creepy smile. Not a Sammy smile at all. "I was just messing with you. Sammy's long gone." And with that he disappeared. Dean doubled over nearly in physical pain over their failure. Now, not only was Sammy lost to him, but the Apocalypse wasn't even stopped. Helped along even. "SAM!" he screamed in frustration.


	4. Armageddon

One week later

Lucifer and Michael met on the battlefield at long last. Lucifer wearing a Sam suit. Michael wearing an Adam suit. Lucifer thought it was a little ironic that Michael was the one in Adam, seeing as how Michael was supposed to be sooo perfect and Adam was the name of the first sinner.

"The time is finally here," Michael said.

"I can't believe it. We've been waiting an eternity for this. I've been waiting 120 times eternity being stuck in Hell where time goes so slowly…or is it quickly?" Lucifer mused.

"Enough chitchat. Let's get this over with," Michael said impatiently.

"You always were bossy," Lucifer said and they circle each other to ready for the fight of the trillenium.

Suddenly they saw a small red car pull up just outside the cemetery. Dean got out and strolled up to them. "Really a graveyard? The biggest fight ever. Couldn't you get Madison Square Garden?"

"You don't belong here, Dean," Michael said.

"Yes, go away. We're busy," Lucifer chimed in. This was probably the first time that he had agreed with his brother on anything. And only moments before their death match. What were the odds?

"I'm not talking to either of you. I'm talking to Sam…and Adam," he added as an afterthought.

"Sam and Adam aren't here," Michael said. He was getting so sick of this particular mud monkey.

"Hey Assbutt," Castiel yelled from behind Dean and threw a ball of holy fire at Michael, incinerating him.

"Assbutt?" Dean asked. When did Cas start using colorful insults?

"You don't have much time. He'll be back."

"Castiel, did you just throw fire at my brother?" Lucifer asked menacingly.

"Um, no," Castiel said, wondering why Lucifer would ask a question he obviously knew the answer to. Everybody here saw him throw that fireball.

"Nobody messes with Michael except for me," Lucifer said and snapped his fingers, making Castiel blow up into a million parts. Some of him sprayed onto Bobby. He didn't look too pleased with that result, but decided calling the devil and idjit might not be the smartest idea, so he held his tongue.

Lucifer turned on Dean. "Dean, Dean, Dean. I tried to be nice for Sam's sake, but you're just not making this easy. He grabbed Dean and threw him to the ground. He took his foot, Sam's foot really, and stomped it onto Dean's wrist. Dean screamed in agony. Lucifer smiled.

Bobby decided to shoot the devil. He didn't know why. If it wasn't too bright to call him an idjit, it was downright moronic to shoot him, but he wasn't going to stand here and watch the devil kill his son. Because that was what Dean was, his son. Screw John.

Lucifer turned to him in anger. This little flea had just shot him. True, it didn't hurt. But the arrogance. If there was one thing Lucifer couldn't tolerate, it was arrogance.

Bobby looked back in stunned surprise. This was the face of his other son. He'd known this kid since he was two years old and there hadn't been a sweeter kid in the world. This same face now showed so much hatred, so much lust for power, so much everything that Sam was not. Bobby only had a couple of seconds to reflect on this, because this creature, this not Sam being, blinked his eyes, and Bobby's head turned all the way around and he died. In his last second of life he was glad he was dying so that he didn't have to witness what was coming.

"No!" Dean yelled.

"Yes," Lucifer hissed and turned his attention back to Dean. He knelt over him and grabbed his lapel and started punching him over and over again, each punch packing more power than the one before. Suddenly, the sun caught the light on Dean's amulet and somewhere inside the devil, Sam remembered.

Sam remembered the Christmas he gave the amulet to Dean. It had been meant for Dad, but once again Dean had been a better father to Sam.

He remembered the night Dean had come to get him at Stanford. He had been fighting him not knowing who he was because it was dark. When Dean had him pinned, the moon shone in and its light reflected in the amulet. That was the first moment he knew who he was. And even though he hadn't seen him in four years, he knew a peace and love that he hadn't felt in his absence.

He remembered Dean taking the amulet back from that shapeshifter in St. Louis.

He remembered after their accident when dad had died. They got out of the hospital and Sam had been holding on to the amulet since the doctors or whoever had taken it off. He gave it back to Dean and Dean just clutched it with all his might, trying not to show Sam how broken up he was over Dad's death.

He remembered when Dean came into that rundown building in Cold Oak and grabbed him into a hug. He could feel the amulet up against his skin between them. When Dean had sold his soul and Sam hadn't even known what he had done for him yet.

He remembered when Dean died, how he had taken the amulet off of Dean and put it on himself so that he would always have Dean next to his heart.

He remembered when Dean came back from Hell and he had been able to return it to him.

He remembered Cas asking for it and Dean only giving it reluctantly.

Lastly, he remembered Dean throwing it out, but then being so happy to get it back.

All those memories allowed Sam to take over. He stepped back and gasped for breath. "It's OK, Dean. It's going to be OK. I've got him."

Sam reached into his pocket where he remembered the devil putting the rings. He took them out, threw them to the ground and recited the incantation. The ground opened up and Sam approached the edge. He looked back at Dean for one last time, when something came over him. He realized something. He had the power to do something that nobody had told him he would possess. He didn't know where the knowledge came from, but he knew it was true.

Dean noticing Sam's hesitation began to stand up. He didn't want to, but he would push him if necessary. He shakily got to his feet and was standing just a foot behind Sam.

Sam stood at the edge of the abyss and expelled Lucifer and all the demon blood from his body, hurling him into the hole. A bright white light came out of Sam and he watched it go down. He nearly fell into the hole, but Dean used what little strength he had and pulled Sam back. The hole closed and Dean pulled Sam into a hug. They did it. They stopped the Apocalypse without sacrificing either of them. Granted, Dean felt like crap, but with Sam by his side, he would heal.

They both sagged to the ground. Dean was physically hurt and Sam had just been possessed by the devil for a week. To say he was messed up was a drastic understatement. He looked over and saw Bobby's body and started crying. "I killed Bobby," he ground out.

"That wasn't you," Dean said.

All of the sudden, Cas appeared before them. "Cas, you're alive," they both said in unison.

"Better than that," he said and reached down and touched Dean. He was immediately healed. He turned to Bobby walked over and touched him. Bobby slowly stood up and looked around in wonderment. He turned and saw Dean and Sam sitting a few yards away. "Sam?" he asked.

"Yeah, Bobby. I'm sorry."

"Wasn't you, kid," Bobby assured him. "So, what happened while I was dead?"

"I managed to take over from Lucifer and open the pit. Then I realized I could expel him from my body into the cage without me and that seemed like a good idea, so I did it."

"Thank God," Bobby said. "What was it like? Was it like being possessed by a demon?"

"It was ten times worse," Sam answered. "I can't really explain how. I did find out something, though."

"Oh, no, what?" Dean asked. In his experience, revelations were never a good thing.

"I found out why they wanted the Impala," Sam said.

"Why?" Dean asked. He had always been curious about that.

"The devil had looked ahead in time and when this happened originally, I caught a gleam of light off of the Impala and had all these memories and it allowed me to take over. This time it was the amulet. But what the devil never realized was he could have you sell everything you ever touched and I still would have been able to take over, because it was memories of you, not about your things that brought me back. This could never have played out any other way."

"There's something else," Cas said.

"Oh, no. What?" Dean asked. He was too afraid to trust this good turn of events.

"When I touched Bobby I could feel his soul intact. Crowley kept his promise."

"Are you sure?" Bobby asked.

"Definitely."

"Well, we stopped the Apocalypse, now what are we going to do?" Dean asked.

"Go to Disney World?" Sam suggested.

"Very funny," Dean said.

The End.


End file.
